The student newspaper of South Plains College.

Parent involvement can help child cope with divorce

In today’s society, divorce rates are higher than ever and show no signs of slowing down.

Relationships and marriages are seeming to come quickly to an end due to lack of communication, among other reasons.

In a marriage that’s coming to an end, it can be more difficult when kids are involved. Divorce can be a difficult time for a family, especially for children, and the effects it may have on them can vary.

At any age, it can be traumatic for anyone to witness the break up of a family and see their whole world turned upside down. How they react can depend on their age, personality, and the circumstances of the separation process. However, there is a lot that the parents can do to help their children cope.

Young children are the ones who seem to be affected the most by divorce, and how they react to divorce is a question that may be unpredictable. Based off of their own experiences they’ve had from watching their parents divorce, it may be harder for some to recover quicker than others.

With the right guidance from parents, children can experience divorce as an adjustment rather than a crisis. However, not all children are given the amount of support needed to get through the harder times in their life.

Through divorce, children have to learn how to adapt to change at a rapid pace. They have to learn to accept new family dynamics, living situations, and possibly start over at a new school.

I empathize with others who have struggled with the sociological and emotional toll it can have. It is not easy growing up with divorced parents. Many children whose parents separate struggle with developing social skills and the ability to relate to others around them.

Divorce can leave children emotionally vulnerable to several types of negative emotions, such as feelings of loss, anger, confusion, anxiety, and more, all of which can be caused by the separation of their parents alone. They may react to situations in a negative way and can have a hard time adjusting to such a sudden change.

If either parent notices such behavior, it is important that he or she help their children find an outlet for all of these emotions. Parents need to understand that it is OK to seek professional help. By seeking help for their child, it can help them learn to cope or figure out how to sort through their thoughts and emotions.

While struggling to sort out their emotions, in the midst of trying to comprehend the changing dynamics, it may leave many children distracted or confused. It can interrupt their daily focus and how they perform in their daily lives. This can have a major effect on their academic performance. The more distracted they become, the more likely they will not able to focus on their school work or on other activities.

This is where communication between the two parents can be important. By allowing children to still be in contact with both parents, it can encourage them and remind them that both parents are still supportive, even when going through difficult times.

This is where finding an outlet for children who are struggling can help. Without an outlet, a child whose family is going through divorce may also have a harder time relating to their classmates and/or will refuse to go to social activities. This is because they may feel insecure about their home situation and think that no one around them will be able to understand or be helpful toward the situation.

The most important thing for the parents is to remain involved with their children’s lives, especially when going through hard times. But many parents may confide too much in their children about adult concerns such as disagreements or money worries.

By offering reassurance, hope and a sense of stability, it can help ease the effects of divorce on children of all ages.